Image taking apparatuses which take images by an image sensor such as a CCD and store the images as image data, for example digital cameras, are widely used. Various techniques are devised to take images of the subjects under optimum conditions while taking advantage of features of images, derived from converting the taken images into electrical signals.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-092701 suggests an image taking apparatus which automatically presses a release button and takes an image when a face image is recognized and each part of the face is identified.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0197845 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-237961) suggests an image taking apparatus provided with a motion area detecting section, a face detecting section and a control section, and an automatic image taking method using this image taking apparatus. Based on the image data, the motion area detecting section detects a block in which motion is detected as a motion area among blocks formed by dividing an image frame. The face detecting section detects a human face based on the image data. The control section takes an image when the motion in the motion area containing a human face is stopped.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-005662 suggests an electronic camera and an electronic camera system for taking an image after detecting a position of a face region of a person (subject) and when a motion amount of the position of the face region is within a predetermined range for a predetermined time.
In a so-called self-timer shooting in which a photographer is also a subject, the photographer enters into a shooting range after a predetermined operation of the digital camera. The above-described Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-092701 has a problem that an image is taken immediately after the face image is recognized and each part of the face is identified even before the photographer enters into the shooting range. In this case, the photographer is not included in the taken image.
Also in the self-timer shooting of the U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0197845, the image is taken when motion in the motion area containing faces is stopped even before the photographer enters into the shooting range.
The electronic camera disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-005662 has a predetermined standby time after the release button is fully pressed. However, if the photographer fails to enter into the shooting range within the predetermined standby time, the photographer is not included in the taken image. When the standby time is extended to ensure the photographer to enter into the shooting range, the standby time may become too long for the subjects (people) other than the photographer. The subjects (people), especially children, cannot wait until the image is taken and make motion, which result in blurs in the taken image.